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Members, friends contribute $50K to Disability Rights Bar Association

Members and friends of the Disability Rights Bar Association (DRBA) have matched a $25,000 leadership gift challenge from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The $50,000 combined contributions will have a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities by supporting DRBA activities.

DRBA is a virtual network, hosted by the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University of more than 180 attorneys who specialize in disability civil rights law. DRBA helps lawyers and individuals with disabilities pursue better cases, make more effective arguments, and understand developments in disability rights law and practice. DRBA further mentors law students interested in pursuing a career as a disability rights attorney.

“We are grateful at the DRBA for the generosity of our member colleagues and friends at the NFB for ensuring our on-going ability to advance the practice of disability civil rights law,” said William Myhill, BBI director of legal research and writing.

Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “We are pleased to support the critical work of the DRBA in protecting the rights of people with disabilities who have experienced discrimination and in seeking to promulgate legal precedents and doctrines of disability law that are well founded and just.”

Two key issues make the work of the DRBA of high significance and necessity. First, on average the majority of persons with disabilities who experience discrimination lack the income necessary to hire a skilled attorney.

Second, many attorneys who do take these cases either lack the relevant experience to effectively serve these clients, or produce a win for the client and establish local precedent that may not be in the best interest of the client in future or others with disabilities.

“This gift will help strengthen DRBA and allow us to begin to expand our program offerings. We are grateful for the financial support we have received from the NFB, DRBA sponsors and our Executive Board,” said Daniel Goldstein, chair of DRBA and partner of Brown, Goldstein & Levy.